Drug Updates
Patient Teaching
News Capsules
Drug Warnings
Herbal Spotlight
Clinical Pearls
Infusion Therapy
Geriatric
Considerations
Special Alerts
Medication
Administration
Quik Tools
Drug Info
Links
Drug Info Bookstore
Feedback
Registration
Disclaimer
|
|
|
Inserting I.V. lines in pediatric patients
|
- Use veins of hands, forearms, or antecubital fossa for ambulating children.
- Avoid using the saphenous vein if the child is ambulating.
- Use the nondominant extremity to allow thumb sucking in young children, and crafts or schoolwork in older children.
- Use a warm pack or latex-free tourniquet to help dilate veins.
- Use a 24G, 22G, or 20G catheter.
- Use the smallest catheter for the vein and the viscosity of the solution. Thin-walled I.V. catheters provide excellent flow rates, even at smaller gauges.
- Use toys to distract the child during insertion. Bubbles are especially useful for distraction.
- Obtain assistance to hold the child still.
- Be aware that the younger the child, the less time there should be between explanation of the procedure and starting of the I.V.
- Use local anesthesia (lidocaine injection or EMLA cream) if facility's policy allows its use.
- Use positioning for comfort techniques whenever possible.
- Pin the arm board to the bed or use neonatal Velcro restraints to limit mobility of the extremity with the I.V. line.
- Secure the site with a padded board if the I.V. site is over an area of flexion.
- Use a sterile transparent semipermeable membrane dressing and, if needed, a clear plastic cup to maintain site visibility.
- Secure the tubing to the site, especially in younger children.
- Allow toddlers and older children to handle equipment, clean the site, or place a make-believe I.V. line in a doll (with supervision) to help them better deal with their infusion therapy.
- Allow older children and adolescents to participate in their care.
|
